§ 5. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade if he has made a study of the cost comparisons, circulated at the International Industrial Conference held in San Francisco, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South; what is the reason for the high cost of United Kingdom materials, the low cost of labour and the relative low cost of the total unit cost; and if he will carry out an investigation into the increased cost of materials sold to the manufacturing industries engaged in the export trades in relation to world prices, in view of the need to take all measures to improve the competitive ability of United Kingdom exports.
§ Mr. ErrollI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend to a Question about these cost comparisons put by my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne) on Tuesday last.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithIt would be interesting to know the date on which that matter was first raised and not allow it 1539 to affect us too much. Does the Minister agree that the cost of raw materials to British manufacturers, particularly those engaged in the export trade, is all wrong? Does he not agree that there is need for an urgent investigation into those costs in order that we may be fair, and that those manufacturers should be helped so that they would have a fair chance?
§ Mr. ErrollI would rather like to study the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question before trying to answer it.